Building a Future at the Intersection of Business and Law
“UNCF has absolutely changed my life,” said Hanifah Mohammed, a rising sophomore at UNCF-member institution Fisk University.
Mohammed is a recipient of the Vertus Hardiman Endowed Scholarship, administered by UNCF, which provided her with critical support that helped ease the financial pressures of college and allowed her to focus more fully on academics. She dreamed of being able to concentrate on succeeding in the classroom without being weighed down by financial concerns; the Vertus Hardiman Endowed Scholarship made that possible.
This support—financial and beyond—gave Mohammed greater peace of mind as she adjusted to the demands of college. Her first semester was stressful, but it also taught her valuable lessons about balancing academics and maintaining strong relationships with her peers. She said having friends who supported one another made the difficult moments more manageable and reinforced the importance of community.
Mohammed’s focus paid off—she completed her first semester with a 4.0 GPA, an accomplishment she describes as both challenging and rewarding. “My most memorable experience was surviving my first final’s season,” she shared.
Fisk felt like the right college for Mohammed—she wanted to attend an HBCU and was drawn to Fisk’s close-knit culture. She particularly appreciated the university’s tradition of referring to its community as the “Fisk Family.”
Mohammed’s career aspirations are also influenced by her own family. Her mother attended law school and her late father was an entrepreneur. Inspired by both parents, Mohammed hopes to create a future that combines her interests in business, leadership and law. She is majoring in business administration and plans to attend law school after graduation. Her academic interests include pre-law, business law and business ethics, fields that allow her to explore the connection between business and the legal system.
She expects to graduate in May 2029.
Mohammed encourages prospective college students to pursue every opportunity for financial assistance. Her advice is simple: Apply for every scholarship that fits and make each application personal. “Make sure you center your personal story in all your applications,” she said. “Always persevere.”
Mohammed’s experience demonstrates how scholarship support can provide more than just financial assistance. For students navigating the transition to college, UNCF support creates an opportunity to focus on academics, build relationships and pursue ambitious goals.
Her message for donors is clear. She wants them to understand the lasting impact of their generosity. “I would say every generous contribution and action is literally going to change somebody’s life in some way,” she said.
With the support of UNCF, Mohammed is continuing to build the foundation for a future that combines her passion for business and her goal of pursuing law—one semester, one achievement and one opportunity at a time.